It only takes three steps to start saving
If you are planning to renovate your home and would like to get professional advice on how to improve your home’s energy performance, getting an EnerGuide home evaluation would be a great start. Here are three easy steps towards a more comfortable home:
Contact a Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) licensed service organization to make an appointment with an energy advisor for an evaluation of your home’s current energy performance. The home evaluation may also be called a pre-retrofit evaluation, an energy audit or an assessment in certain provinces and territories. There are a number of things you can do in your home to prepare for the home visit with an energy advisor. Follow these steps to learn what to expect and how to prepare for your home evaluation.
The energy advisor will visit your home to analyze it, from the foundation to the roof. He or she will take measurements and notes about components that impact the energy performance of your home such as mechanical equipment, windows and insulation levels of the building envelope. This evaluation also includes a blower door test to measure the air tightness of the house. The energy advisor inputs this information into NRCan’s HOT2000 energy simulation software which generates the home’s current and potential energy rating.
The service organization then sends you a personalized report with a summary of the analysis, and the current EnerGuide rating. A list of recommended upgrades and a potential new rating on your house would be received if you were to implement the recommendations. They may also be included as part of your evaluation option. You will also receive an EnerGuide label with your current rating to affix to your electrical panel. Consult the step-by-step of the EnerGuide home evaluation for in-depth details on the evaluation process.
Once you make improvements to your home based on the recommendations report, the energy performance of the home will be enhanced. Following your home improvements, you may wish to obtain a follow-up evaluation and an updated label that will testify your home’s improved energy performance. Many regional energy-efficiency programs across Canada use EnerGuide ratings to determine if you are eligible for grants, rebates and financial incentives. Please visit their web sites or contact them directly for more information.
Contact a service organization in your area today to arrange for an EnerGuide home evaluation.
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